"If a nation expects to be ignorant and free... it expects what never was, and never will be." --Thomas Jefferson

Friday, October 27, 2006

Mama Moonbat and Me

Cindy Sheehan came to Sacramento today and made her grand appearance at the intersection of 16th and Broadway. This was my second outing to this location to take photos of a protest. The last one of course being the protest against Israel when she was defending herself against murderous rocket attacks from Hezbollah terrorist cowards hiding among the civilian population in Lebanon. I have to tell you, I was rather disappointed in today's crowd. While I actually think it might have been a little bigger than the previous crowd, they didn't seem like it. I felt like everyone was just kind of going through the paces. I didn't see the intensity and passion of the last protest. I guess protesting directly in favor of Hezbollah and Hamas terrorists gets the crowd more riled up than protesting to bring the troops home. I got to the protest right when it kicked off at 4pm. People were still arriving and setting up, so I ducked into the Tower Book Store that was right there to see what was still for sale. You might have heard that Tower Records (and Books) went bankrupt and will soon be liquidated. At about 4:15, I went back outside and began taking pictures. That's when I saw Cindy Sheehan. She was walking along the sidewalk and working the crowd like a politician. The crowd didn't have that veneer of Muslim anger like last time, but there were enough nutjobs present to keep my shutter finger busy. So without further ado, away we go, and remember that you can click on the images to make them bigger:

First a long shot to give an idea of the size of the crowd on the busiest corner of the intersection. This is the corner where Mother Sheehan worked the crowd, and where the socialist capitalists set up their merchandise booths where they sold buttons and bumper stickers.

Flags were again in abundance. This guy was carrying the double whammy of an Iraqi flag and a Palestinian flag. Look at the smile on his face; I'm telling you, the anger of the previous protest just wasn't there today. The soothing presence of Mother Sheehan must have been calming the masses.

This was a flag that was absent at the previous protest: a flag from Venezuela. The socialist, Castro-loving dictator of that South American country needs some love too.

Speaking of loving Castro, one idiot woman had a Cuban flag. How these "tolerant" lefties love Fidel so much, I will never figure out. He commits so many atrocities against the very kinds of people and ideas that these lefties supposedly hold dear: homosexuals, free speech, equality for minorities. It was on this corner of the street as I was taking pictures that I was asked at least three times by three different people (including the guy in the orange shirt and the brown hat, and the Cuban flag lady) if I worked for the federal government. One lady said my short hair made me look suspicious. Paranoia alert!

What this protest had to with anything that required a gay rainbow flag, I have no idea. I have noticed that no matter what the specific subject of a left-wing protest, every cause under the sun ends up making an appearance.

This chick practically begged me to take her picture. I wouldn't have included her picture in this post, but I can't let down my fans on the left! I just noticed that you can see my shadow as I am taking the picture.

The ubiquitous soldier mannequin was back. This grotesque caricature has been around the block. It sparked a controversy in the Land Park neighborhood when two local moonbats, Steve and Virginia Pearcy, hung it from their window as a protest against the war. It was quite the local news story for a little while. Then I saw it among some counterprotesters at a pro-Israel rally on the steps of the Capitol (the time I forgot my camera). That time, the soldier had an Israeli flag draped across it with a placard that said "Baby Killer." Then I saw that same soldier with the same Israeli accouterments at the previous protest that I photographed. This time, you can see that the soldier was given a new role. He was lying on top of a flag-draped coffin with the lovely sign below.

I wanted to ask this lady to which genocide was she referring. The one that Saddam carried out against the Kurds and Iraqi people in general, or the one that the wackjob from Iran wants to carry out on the Jews in Israel?

BDS (Bush Derangement Syndrome) strikes again! This grim reaper lady was carrying a halloween mask of George W. Bush in the fashion of the mask being a severed head. I was literally in the process of inhaling so that I may speak a few words to her about her not-so-subtle "kill the president" imagery, when a sensible lefty got to her first.

This guy (who had been flashing peace signs to passing cars a few seconds earlier) gently took the mask out of the grim reaper's hand and told her that she wasn't really helping their cause by essentially calling for the death of President Bush. Good show, Sir.

And then, there she was. Cindy Sheehan was strolling up and down the sidewalk on the southeast corner of the intersection. She was shaking hands, posing for pictures with people, and working it like a politician. The funny thing is that I heard her before I saw her. Who can not pick out that annoying, mousy, sing-song voice of hers?

As I stood there watching Mama Moonbat work the crowd, I happened to notice a tattoo on her ankle. Upon closer inspection, it turns out she had her son's name etched on there. I truly feel badly that she lost her son, I will give her that. But once she threw her hat in the public arena, she is fair game for criticism, dead son or not. The whole time I was looking at her, I kept thinking to myself that this is the woman who called the terrorists in Iraq, "Freedom Fighters." What an insult to the son whose name she bears upon her ankle.

After leaving Mother Sheehan to take some more crowd shots, I happened to be back in the area where she was just kind of standing around. I thought about it for a moment, then said screw it. I walked up to her and...

Who says I cannot be civil toward my political opposites? If anyone ever accuses me of being some vicious partisan hack, I can always pull out this picture of Mama Moonbat and Me and prove that I am able to get along with the other side. Maybe not totally - I threw that blue shirt in the fireplace when I got home...

"I have noticed that no matter what the specific subject of a left-wing protest, every cause under the sun ends up making an appearance."

You should have seen the protest in San Francisco Saturday, Oct. 28Immigration? CheckIsrael? CheckIran? CheckFree Masonry? CheckVenezuela? CheckElderly Nudists? Ew. Shudder. Check

As ANSWER announced in their press release “The protest will also highlight other issues dear to ANSWER’s mission: opposing American aggression toward Iran, Syria, Cuba, Korea and Venezuela, and demanding that the United States and Israel pay reparations to Lebanon, and allow Palestinians to return to Palestinian territories.”

Fine, Fine. But someone please explain what the man in the sequined halter and bunny ears was protesting. Please.

Here's a lot of thoughts on your anti-prostestor blog entry:Regarding the photo of the woman holding the "Peace Not Genocide" sign: You said you wanted to ask her which genocide the poster referred to--Hussein's genocide of "the Kurds and Iraqi people in general, or the one that the wackjob from Iran wants to carry out on the Jews in Israel?"Why didn't you ask her? It's a good question. Here's my answer: ALL GENOCIDE IS WRONG. Genocide is always wrong. Here's some more thoughts on it: When the Turkish Government (U.S. ally) slaughters Kurds, our government calls it an "internal matter," and, yes, our government has tolerated it since before the Bush II presidency (non-partisan alert!). My question to you is how is the slaughter of Iraqis by Hussein worse or better than the slaughter of Iraqis by other Iraqis? My answer is that they're both horrific crimes against humanity.As an aside, I call the president of Iran a genocidal psychopath, not a "wackjob" like you do. "Wackjob" is more appropriate for that guy who takes your parking space at Target or makes an illegal u-turn in front of you, forcing you to slam on your brakes.

Moving on: your photo with Cindy Sheehan. You said you burned the shirt afterwards. I think (my opinion; I have no proof of this) that was an immature thing to say. (Continuing opinion): Your comment sounded to me like a schoolboy saying a classmate has cooties. I'm not saying that's what you intended to communicate, but that was MY impression of it. (Maybe it was a misfired joke--more on that later.)And you covered up your face. My next OPINION: that suggests that you lack the courage of your convicitons. You apparently have very strong beliefs and opinions; put a face with them. People who attack you simply for saying what you believe are themselves insecure and unconvinced of their own beliefs. I believe that I am talking to you and commenting in response to your commments. I'm trying to show I disagee with you and think some of these things are wrong. But that does NOT mean I hate you or that you should not be allowed to write or say them. (I won't be a Hannity or O'Reilly and turn off your microphone!)

But if you say denigrating things about others whose opinions and beliefs differ from yours, you better be prepared for an attack: like when you refer to a woman with whom you disagree--"This chick practically begged me to take her picture." Let me treat your remarks with total disregard for context to see if you're comfortable with it: You think that young women are "chicks" and that when you do something to them, they are "begging" for it. I don't think that's what you meant, but your remarks could be interpreted to be very denigrating--even hateful--toward young women in general. You may have been trying to be funny and just belittle war protestors, but I think your attempt at a joke failed. Wow! That makes you a lot like John Kerry in JUST that ONE respect! He denigrates the troops and you denigrate women. But that's just my interpretation.

I appreciate your attempts to be entertaining while putting down anyone who opposes the war, but I find you only slightly funnier than John Kerry and not nearly as funny and sharp as Rush Limbaugh.

I want to share with you my personal belief that anyone who supports the war and CAN serve in the military should enlist and ask to serve in Iraq. I mean that sincerely. Serving in Iraq (if you're able to) makes a much greater and braver statement than taking pictures of war protestors on a nice, sunny day at the intersection of Broadway and Land Park Dr. in Sacramento. It's not that Broadway and Land Park don't have crime, it's just that it's about 100,000 times safer to make your statement there than in Iraq and Afghanistan. I am suggesting that you appear to be young and healthy (in spite of keeping your face hidden) just like Jenna and Barbara Bush. Why not make a real difference in this war? Sign-up and take a stand!

[By the way, I'm listed as "Anonymous" because I'm NOT brave. I also don't have my own web page ("Other") or a Blogger account--my only other options for listing myself.]

Thanks to anyone who was willing to read my opinions and not label me evil or insane.

Well,You sure presume an awful lot. Let's set you straight on a couple of pretty funny presumptions you have about me.

First, my face. I don't hide it because of my politics; I hide it because I don't want my students that I teach to know yet that I keep beg me to have her picture taken. In fact, her exact words were, "Hey, aren't you going to take my picture too?" So I did, even though compared to other attendees of this protest, I thought her sign was pretty mundane. Yes, I called her a chick... sue me. Denigrate women? I love women! Well, just one; my wife). If you want to talk to me about denigrating women, let's talk about the treatment of women in the Muslim world.

Third, you really need to work on your sense of humor. I didn't burn the shirt. I was making the point (humorously) that even though I was standing next to Cindy Sheehan, I was creeped out by the fact that I was. The whole reason I took the picture with her in the first place was so that I could entertain and shock some of my regular readers. Now, you see, when a joke has to be explained, it takes the humor right out of it. The joke didn't misfire at all - you just need to get out more.

Fourth, nice little jab at me about being at a safe street corner instead of in Iraq. Perhaps you should have read my profile a little closer. I signed up a long time ago. I served in the U.S. Army for 12 years, leaving with the rank of Sergeant (E5), in 2004. Had I been ordered to Iraq (and I almost was), I would have gone there without hesitation. Don't play this whole "Chickenhawk" game with me; it doesn't become you.

Now,

I am not going to waste my time arguing the semantical merits of psychopath vs. wackjob. Move onto something more substantial.

Finally, I agree with you about Turkey. That country has some real problems with its rising Islamic fascism, and we need to play hardball with them. If you read my blog instead of just spouting off, you would see that I am no apologist for the Republicans, especially our current knucklehead-in-chief. I disagree with him on just about every issue except his stand against Islamic terrorism, and even there, I think he is being too wishy-washy.

First, my face. I don't hide it because of my politics; I hide it because I don't want my students that I teach to know yet that I keep a blog. I am still researching the ins and outs of what I am allowed to talk about regarding my job as a teacher and not have a conflict with what I say about my job on my blog. When I find out the limits, then perhaps I will have no problem showing my face on my blog.

Second, the "chick" did beg me to have her picture taken. In fact, her exact words were, "Hey, aren't you going to take my picture too?" So I did, even though compared to other attendees of this protest, I thought her sign was pretty mundane. Yes, I called her a chick... sue me. Denigrate women? I love women! Well, just one; my wife. If you want to talk to me about denigrating women, let's talk about the treatment of women in the Muslim world.

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I am native of the mountains of northern California; 12-year veteran of the U.S. Army and California National Guard; Secondary School History teacher; Husband; Father of Two; and three-time honoree as Time Magazine's Person of the Year (2003, 2006, 2011).